Taking its name from the title of an interesting character called William Jervois, Herne Bay cafe, and bistro after hours, The Governor serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with a true focus on locality.
From Tuesday until Saturday The Governor serves up not just the modern-day spin on classic café food that they have quickly become famous for, but also beautifully crafted winter dishes like braised beef short rib with celeriac puree and Brussels sprouts and roasted half chicken served with baby carrots, garlic dijonnaise and gremolata. The dishes are all the creative work of talented head chef, Lucy Montagu.
“Opening all day and into the evening was always the plan,” says Cédric. “When the designer looked at the space left by Zus & Zo it seemed like a great thing to do and it is just so easy for the cafe to transition from a day venue to a restaurant by night.” He and his team also saw the aforementioned gap in the local market that they knew they could fill, “as people really seemed to be looking for a new place to go out that was serving fresh, uncomplicated food.”
Locals have also fallen in love with the concept of dropping in for an early dinner with friends and family and being close enough to walk home, as opposed to further up the Ponsonby strip where there is more of an emphasis on late night dining. Cédric says that thus far their popularity has grown purely by word of mouth, with punters who pop in for brunch or an early breakfast meeting coming back with their families for something a little heartier at night. Tuesday nights have been known to be absolutely humming with folks who really can’t be bothered with the hassle of slaving over a stove at home, and feed off the buzzing vibe of the comfortably chic local. “We are getting more and more people through the door all the time,” he says, “and once they have tried dinner here they love it and come back for more. Our back room space means that if the front gets full we can comfortably seat people out the back, and it’s also perfect for larger groups and families.”
Speaking of the light, spacious Governor back room, Cédric explains that it, too, is growing in popularity all the time as a private space. With no hireage fee to pay, it is available to groups looking to launch a product, celebrate a birthday or just watch the rugby with friends. “We don’t charge a fee as we just want people to use the room and enjoy it,” says Cédric, “and as long as they order some food and some drinks we are happy with that. We look at it as providing a service for our regulars, and we love having them spending their time at The Governor.”
Equipped with seating for up to 20 guests, and a big screen TV, it is also the perfect spot for local businesses just wanting to get out of the office - and having great coffee on site is an added bonus. “In terms of food we can supply small bites, a charcuterie plate or a set menu depending on what the group needs,” says the manager, emphasising that nothing is ever too much trouble for the talented team in the kitchen and front of house.
But back to Montagu’s food, which is an ever evolving, beautiful feast of seasonal flavours. Cédric says that he and the kitchen team love hearing feedback from customers about what their favourites are, and dishes that they would like to see transition from shared plate to main and vice versa. “You can also order a dish like chicken or ribs to share or as an entrée,” explains Cédric, and they are always creating more interesting vegetarian and vegan dining options in response to customer demand. “Our menu is so flexible that it can pretty much be designed for exactly what you want,” says the seasoned manager, “if you want to treat us like a wine bar then please do, or as a place for a warming, winter venison pot pie with friends. The menu is just a sample of what we can do, so if you have something specific in mind please ask... and see what we can do.”
(HELENE RAVLICH)
The Governor, 228 Jervois Road, T: 09 361 5060, thegovernor.co.nz